I had the opportunity to check out a fantastic new event space acquired by West Coast Event Productions. The space is located at NW 14th and Overton, on the outer edges of the Pearl District.

This space can be used for events or weddings, with a capacity up to 999. There is a lower and upper space available. West Coast can provide you with many ways to decorate the space.

Planners and brides can bring their choice of vendors to the space.

Beautiful Windows cover the exterior of the building.

For more information contact Danette at 503.294.0412 or danette@wcep.com.

Themes and more Themes!
The majority of planners always (47%) or sometimes (48%) use themes for their events. However, only 37 % feel extremely comfortable coming up with creative themes. Meeting & Conventions magazine have created a list of suggestions for your next event.

No Data Left Behind
“Oh, the Places You’ll Go” (Dr. Seuss)
Are You Ready for the Turnaround?
Mission Possible
No Small Role in Big Change
Plan. Protect. Prevail
CSI: Common Sense Ideas
Up, Up and Away
Capital Pursuit (Tivial Pursuit)
Driving Your Business to Success (Car-Racing School)
Coloring Outside the Lines
Winners at the Game of Business (Game show theme)

For more great ideas check out Bravoevent.com for Interactive Entertainment Ideas, Casino Parties, Team Building Activites and much more.

Meetings & Conventions Magazine, March 2010

For the third year, WCEP is proud to be in good company with the “30 Top Event Rental Companies” worldwide, as recognized in Special Events magazine’s November/December 2009 issue.

For more information: http://wcep.com/newsletter/SpecialEvents_Nov:Dec09.pdf

Planners that attended the Bravo! Live Showcase of the Hospitality and Meeting Industry voted for their favorite booths in the following categories:

Most Memorable Booth: Peter Corvallis Productions

Friendliest Booth: Team Casino

Best Catering Booth: Crave Catering

Congratulations to the winners!

September’s ISES Portland meeting will be an interactive display and panel discussion:  “What’s New in Swag?”  We want our panel of expert promotional product distributors to give us their best pointers on when and how branded giveaways can best be utilized, so we’ll be asking the hard questions, as usual!  Each of our panelists will also be bringing a wide display of the latest “giveaway” products, and even telling us which ones we could order AT THIS EVENT and have ready in time for, say, the Bravo show in October!

The event will be on September 29th from 11:30 to 1:30, at the brand new Urban Studios in the heart of the Pearl District at 206 NW 10th Avenue.  Lunch will be provided by Pearl Catering.  

Join us at this very special new venue for great networking, food, and education.  Click HERE to register.

See it. Believe it. Get 10% off.

PosterGarden, a leader in the world of portable displays for trade shows and events, has launched its all-new web site at www.PosterGarden.com.

And just for reading about it here on the Bravo! blog, the company is offering a 10% discount on all orders between now and Sept. 30, 2009.

The new, user-friendly site, designed by PosterGarden’s own team of designers and IT specialists, features the company’s distinctive design elements that already run through its catalogs and showroom. It’s also packed with PosterGarden’s portable display products — banner stands, popup displays, tents, flags, banners, and more — and invaluable information to help customers choose the best display for their needs.

Additionally, the new PosterGarden.com is home to news, a media kit, special announcements (like the company’s current 10%-20% discount on trade show flooring) and other valuable resources for customers and industry experts.

Visit the all-new PosterGarden.com today for all this and more. And when you place your order, enter the promotional code BRAVO for 10% off. If you have questions or would like to speak to your own Project Manager contact, Cari Goodwin at 800-707-0204 X719.

PosterGarden. Smart. Sturdy. Simple. Portable Displays.

Are you effectively reaching younger attendees (under 40) to your booth at tradeshows? According to Meeting News Magazine and a survey by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research, younger attendees desire more ability to plan their exhibitor interactions before the start of the event in order to maximize their time on a large show floor.

In a survey to hundreds of attendees at a recent event in Chicago, they suggested “scheduling appointments would make them more efficient in talking to experts in the exhibit booths and getting quality information”. The younger participants cited a preference for interactive components within exhibits – where they can “personally engage with the product or control the demonstration” – it’s much more effective than brochures!

Photo from 2007 Bravo Live – the “Dancing Heads” booth.  Mark your calendars for the 2009 Show – Wednesday, October 14th at the Oregon Convention Center.